Illuminated-timepiece holder.



'PATENTED MAR. 22, 1904." L

W. J. SHEPHERD. ILLUMINATED TIMEPIEOE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY2, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

a. m? "M INVENTOR.

WITNESSES.-

ATTORNEY.

no. *vtasee'.

UNITED STATES Fatented March 22, 1904.

PATENT OFFICE.

WARREN SHEPHERD, OF DENVER, COLORADO, ASSIGNOR OF TIVO- THIRDS TO GEORGE STIOKNEY, OF LYONS, COLORADO.

lLLUlVllNATED-TIMEPIEOE HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 755,584, dated March 22, 1904.

Application fi1ed May 2, 1902. Serial No. 105,700. (No model.)

To all whom it Wmy concern:

Be it known that I, WARREN J. SHEPHERD, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Illuminated- Timepiece Holders; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in devices for holding a watch or small clock, and is specially adapted for use on vestibule electric street-cars.

An important feature of my device consists of a lamp, preferably of the incandescent electric type, so arranged as to direct the rays of light onto the face of the timepiece only. The motorman in a vestibule in order to see well the track ahead desires the vestibule as dark as possible, and therefore is unable to conveniently use ordinary lamps for lighting purposes to enable him to see the timepiece, as a watch or clock, usually supported in a holder mounted on the dash in front of him. My improved device by directing the illuminating-rays on the face of the timepiece only does not otherwise interfere with the darkened condition of the vestibule, but at the same time makes the face of the watch or clock plainly visible at all times. Hence I term my device an illuminated-timepiece holder.

My further object is to provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, economical in cost, reliable, durable, and efiicient in use; and to these ends the invention consists of the features hereinafter described and claimed, all of which will be fully understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated an embodiment thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation of my improved device. Fig. 2 is avertical section taken on the line m m, Fig. 4. Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view of the lower part of the device with the lock-housing removed. Fig. f is a cross-section of the device, taken on the line y y, Fig. 2.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views.

Let the numeral 5 designate the casing, which is secured in any suitable manner to a block 6, preferably composed of wood. This block may be made fast to any suitable support, as the dashboard of a car, by screws 7. The casing of the device is composed of upper and lower parts 5 and 5, connected by an intermediate part 5. The part 5 is preferably cylindrical and provided with two oppositely-located vertical slots o from which lead offsets and 5. Mounted in the casing part 5 is a vertically-adjustable shelf or platform 8, provided with a pad 9, composed of some soft material, as felt, forming a bed for the watch or other timepiece that it may be desired to use. The support8 is provided with two oppositely-located pins 8*, which protrude through slots 5 and are arranged to engage the offsets or ledges 5 and 5 according to the desired elevation of the timepiece-supporting shelf or platform. Other offsets may of course be provided, whereby the device may be prepared to receive watches and clocks of various sizes. If desired, the shelf may be allowed to rest on the bottom of the casing part 5, thus making room for the largest-sized clock that any one will wish to use for the purpose explained. The top of the casing part 5 is closed by a piece of glass 12 or other suitable transparent material suitably mounted upon a metal ring 13, hinged to the casing, as shown at 14, whereby it is adapted to be swung outwardly when it is desired to insert or remove a timepiece. This ring is provided with a depending flange 13 on one side. The glass and the ring are cut away, as shown at 23, to form an opening through which the upper lid of a hunting-case watch may protrude. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The ring 13 is provided with a depending projection 15, having a lip 15, adapted to be engaged by a leaf-spring 16, mounted on the outer wall of the casing part 5 When it is desired to open the timepiecereceptacle, the spring 16 is disengaged from the lip 15 by a small spindle 17, journaled on the casing and having a crank-arm 17 located between the wall of the receptacle and the spring. The lower extremity of this spindle projects below the bottom of the easing and is provided with a crank 17 which is employed to turn the spindle, whereby the spring is thrown outwardly sufficiently to disengage the lip 15 and allow the ring to be swung to the open position. This locking mechanism is concealed by a housing 18, attached to the wall of the casing part, thus making it impossible for a person not familiar with the device to readily understand the manner of unlocking it and making thefts impracticable, since the timepiece is never left within the holder except at short intervals.

Within the part 5 of the casing is located a small incandescent lamp 19, suitably mounted and connected with circuit-wires 21 and 22, which pass through the wooden piece 6. The lower portion of thiscasing part is funnelshaped, as shown at 5 and provided with a small opening 5 located directly above the glass 12, covering the face of the timepiece below, so that only sufiicient light may escape to illuminate the latter. The top of the casing part or receptacle 5 is normally closed by a slidable lid 20, which when removed or opened permits access to the lamp 19. This opening also permits the insertion of the lamp in order to connect it with the circuit-wires. There is sufficient space between the top receptacle 5 and the bottom receptacle 5 to permit a full view of the face of the timepiece.

When a watch of ordinary size or thickness is used, the pins 8 of the platform are placed in the uppermost offsets 5. When a heavier watch is employed, it may be necessary to place these pins in the lower offset, while when a clock is used the timepiece-supporting platform may rest on the bottom of the receptacle 5.

To insert a timepiece, the hinged cover, composed of the glass 12 and the ring 13, is unlocked and swung on its hinge to the open position. If the timepiece is a hunting case watch, the spring-held top lid of the watch is opened and the watch is placed on the pad 9. The cover is then swung to the closed posi-. tion and locked, leaving the watchcase-lid protruding, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Having thus described my invention, what 1 claim is 1. An illuminated timepiece holder comprising two parts suitably connected and separated, one being located directly above the other, the lower part having a movable transparent cover cut away to allow the lid of a watch to protrude, and the upper part being provided with a depending part having sloping sides and provided with an opening in its away on one side to allow the lid of a watch to protrude, means for locking the cover in place, and a lamp-holder located directly above the receptacle and rigidly connected therewith, said holder concealing the light except at the bottom which is provided with a small opening directly above the lower receptacle.

1. A timepiece-holder comprising a receptacle, avertically-adjustable false bottom provided with pins protruding through slots formed in the wall of the receptacle on opposite sides, ofiisets communicating with the slots, and a lamp-holder located directly above the said receptacle, rigidly connected therewith. and concealing the light except at the bottom which is provided with a small opening directly above the receptacle.

5. An illuminated-timepiece holder comprising upper and lower receptacles, one being located directly above the other, the lower receptacle having an adjustable false bottom, a hinged transparent cover cut away to allow the lid of a watch to protrude when the cover is closed, suitable means for locking the cover in place, an incandescent electric lamp located in the upper receptacle, and suitably connected with the wires of a circuit, the said receptacle being closed except at the bottom where a small opening is provided to allow the rays of light-to expose the timepiece in the receptacle below, substantially as described.v

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WARREN J. SHEPHERD.

Witnesses:

DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN. 

